About Me

Thin Guy - Fat Appetite 

Hi there!
Welcome to Fresh In’greedy’ents, a small realm of the internet where a guy with too much time on his hands raves on about food, health, travel, fun, films, animals and more food...

I’ve never been a big fan of writing introductions and I suppose a large reason for that is not only because I have the grammatical graces of a goblin but also because with the rise of social media and the importance of networking etc. it almost feels like you constantly have to pitch yourself and reel off your accomplishments – mine of which really only consist of knowing all the lyrics to Azealia Banks’ ‘212’ and being able to pull off a pretty solid velociraptor impression. However, as you’re taking time out of your day to read this, I’m going to give it a shot and will hopefully be able to explain why I wanted to start this little blog about all things edible.  

So, for a bit of background info – I’m 22 years old, live in Essex (in the South-east of the UK) and if you were to meet me in the street you’d probably think you were meeting Jack Skellington out of the nightmare before Christmas. I have always been very skinny but have always LOVED food (some may say too much – I say this is impossible), although I have not always been health conscious. A few years ago when past-me was away from home for the first time and beginning life at university, it’s probably fair to say that I wasn’t too fussed about my physical well-being. I drank a lot of alcohol, ate a lot of junk and slept… nearly all the time. Don’t get me wrong it was outrageously fun but I definitely lacked drive and constantly felt like a real-life equivalent of Mr Greedy from the Mr Men franchise.

Despite the lifestyle, I did study hard and after three years somehow managed to graduate (part of me still thinks they made a mistake). Upon returning home I decided it was time for a change. I began to clean up my diet, cut back on my social drinking and started being stricter with what I ate. Unfortunately I wasn’t educated in health or nutrition at the time and so what started as an attempt to ‘eat cleaner’ ended up warping into restricting myself from all luxuries. Combined with working a lot of hours and not getting proper rest, I lost a bit of weight (weight which I didn’t have to lose) leaving me feeling like crap and completely run down, even more so than when I was partying studying at Uni. However, despite the fact that I didn’t like how I felt or looked, I didn’t think I was doing anything wrong. As far as I was concerned, I was the ‘healthiest’ out of all my friends and family and it was only when some of my very close friends actually began asking if I was alright/whether or not I may have a disorder that it really hit home. Me, have an eating disorder? No way! That’s impossible, I love food way too much and would marry a plate of Spaghetti Bolognese if it were legal. However, I knew deep down that what I was doing to my body wasn’t right and something needed to change, but at the same time I didn’t want to go back to my old eating habits. I didn’t want to be Mr Greedy again (I don’t suit fuchsia).

Here’s the thing. I love food (not sure if I mentioned that yet). Not just burgers, pizza and cake etc. I Love pretty much all food; Broccoli, tuna, bread, yogurt, hot & sticky BBQ sauce, brownies, cereal with ice cold milk, spinach, plums, pears, apples, risotto, roast dinner covered with ladles of gravy, sweet potatoes, salmon, lettuce, cucumber sandwiches  Chinese food, Thai food, Italian food, Indian food, FOOOOOD! *Ahem* to name just a few. In a way, I felt so strongly for the edible stuff that I kind of thought if given free reign, I wouldn’t be able to control myself which would mean I would become overweight. However, I also didn’t want to limit what I could eat and end up getting looped into a destructive love/hate relationship where I felt guilty about what I put into my mouth. After a lot of research on the internet (whilst eating) I discovered a community of health conscious bloggers and youtubers where eating well was celebrated and didn’t have to consist of just eating salad. I became fascinated with the nutritional value of food and what it can do for our bodies. I also discovered that eating healthily isn’t about restriction at all; it’s about eating well in abundance and being open to a wide field of experimentation whilst trusting your body. You see, for me, being happy is a big part of being healthy and as food makes me happy; it makes no sense to limit its role in my life or feel guilty about what I eat. Don’t get me wrong, I gorge on junk every now and again (what is life without Ben and Jerry’s, I mean what is life!?) and you could argue that I limit that sort of eating, but as I’ve begun keeping myself more well fed with a varied diet full of nutrition, I don’t crave those sort of foods as much as I used to and I certainly don’t feel guilty when I do enjoy them. I’ve started a journey now where I’m gaining weight by eating more wholesome food, living each day healthier, happier and fuller of energy. I’m definitely not where I want to be, but I think I’m on the right track now.

An example of why I would never give up the odd treat.

As a quick disclaimer, I want to point out that I am in no way: a health expert/qualified nutritionist, a dietitian, a chef or one of those multi-talented, kitchen-savvy stay-at-home mothers who seem to be able to balance every aspect of their lives with military precision (How do you do it by the way?). As stated earlier, I’m a skinny, 22 year old guy who just so happens to have a love for food, nutrition, and all-round health and if given the chance would most likely eat a large portion of the UK’s coastline. This blog also isn’t about dictating what is and isn’t healthy. Everyone has their own idea about what that word means and I guess it’s relative to the individual. What makes me happy and works for me will not be the same as what works for everyone but that’s ok. You have to do what is best for you and live a lifestyle that you’re content with.

I guess I still am a Mr Greedy at heart but I’m also: Mr Happy, Mr Daydream, Mr Skinny, Mr Chatterbox, Mr Muddle, Mr Tall, Mr Nonsense… and Little Miss Scary. If there’s one thing that I am 100% sure of, it’s most definitely that there is nothing wrong with being ‘greedy’ with your own happiness.    

My God, I’ve gone on for a bit! Sorry about that. If you’re still here then clearly it’s a sign that we’re meant to be friends. Whether you’re like me and trying to gain weight, trying to lose weight or even just trying to feel healthier or happier than I hope this blog will act as my way of supporting you on your journey. Please feel free to explore this tiny space on the internet where I’ll attempt to post nutritious recipes, life adventures and maybe a few of my other not-guilty pleasures. Please, make yourself comfortable, grab a cuppa and let’s eat!

Oh yes, I nearly forgot. My name’s Alex and it’s very nice to meet you. J